Page 170 of New Storm Rising
“You…you’re behind it this time, too, aren’t you?” His handsome face suddenly didn’t seem so handsome anymore as he gazed off into the canyon. His eyes were blazing a ghostly blue, like those of the reaper himself. “Whoever you are, you’re dead! Do you hear me?Dead!”
***
We had just set out and started down the canyon again when I abruptly felt my nose itch.
“Hm…I have a sudden feeling someone is complimenting me.”
“Indeed?” His camel coming up beside me, Mr Ambrose leaned over. “What reason could they possibly have?”
“You…!” Punching his shoulder, I sent a glare his way—then inconspicuously hid my hand behind my back to massage my knuckles. “You can’t say such a thing to your wife!”
“Evidently, I can.”
Sometimes, Mr Rikkard Ambrose really made me want to strangle him. But, honestly, I was still on too much on a high to bother. The mere fact that, for several consecutive days, I had not vomited once, was enough to plaster a constant smile onto my face. Getting to watch Karim trying to untangle algae from his beard didn’t exactly worsen my mood, either.
“I’ve got a hair brush,” I offered with my customary kindness. “Would you like to borrow it?”
“There are vultures flying above. Would you like me to turn you into their dinner?”
“Now, now, grumpy face. There’s no need for that.”
Reaching up, Karim pulled another bit of algae off his beard. “I think we’ll agree to disagree on that.”
During the following days, we continued our journey through the desert canyon, and our friends the vultures continued to follow us. They weren’t the only ones, either. Despite my best efforts to put distance between a certain group of desperados and us, I was apparently not having much success. Glancing back, I caught sight of a familiar dust cloud rising from between the walls of the canyon.
“Drat!” Spurring on Ambrose Junior, I caught up to his humanoid namesake. “Did you see—”
“I saw it, Mrs Ambrose.”
“What are we going to do?” Eyes flicking from left to right, I looked for something, anything that could help us slow them down. The poison trick wasn’t going to work again. But what else could we do? What else—
Just then I saw it. A small ledge jutting out of the canyon wall, far above our heads. Slowly but surely, a smile spread across my face. What an amazing idea. But it would require help. Hm…
My gaze fell on a certain bulky form.
“Karim, my dear friend!” Beaming, I nudged my camel towards the bodyguard’s. “You know what?”
“No! Not again! Go away!”
“I’ve just had a wonderful idea.”
“Not again! No!”
“Don’t worry.” I patted his shoulder. “I’ve got good news for you. This time, I’m going to help personally.”
***
The horses were moving along at a fast trot. The only reason they weren’t galloping anymore was that they had been doing exactly that for the last half hour, as had their spares before them. The mounts and men were near exhaustion. But none dared to voice any objections. One look at their boss’s face, and any such thoughts went out the metaphorical window.
“How long?” Creed demanded, not taking his eyes off the horizon for one second. Or what passed for a horizon in the winding paths of the canyon. “How long till we catch up to them?”
“We’ve been pressing forward like this for over three hours. We should catch up with them any time n—”
Bam!
“—Ow!”
Diego’s hand shot up, clutching his arm. When he pulled his hand away again, they all could see a bloody graze cutting through his sleeve and skin.
